[Current regenerative therapy for the cornea]

Abstract

The cornea is the avascular, transparent, and main optical element of the eye consisting primarily of 3 layers: the corneal epithelium, stroma, and endothelium. It is believed that corneal epithelial stem cells exist in the basal cell layer of the limbal region. In cases of corneal epithelial stem cell deficiency, corneal epithelial replacement using a tissue engineering technique holds great promise for ocular surface reconstruction. Autologous cultivated corneal epithelial sheets are the safest and most reliable treatment, however, they are not useful for treating bilaterally affected ocular surface disorders. In order to treat these bilateral cases, we must choose either an allogeneic cultivated corneal epithelial sheet or an autologous cultivated oral mucosal epithelial sheet.